Cameron House

Cameron House is nearly every Scottish stereotype wrapped up in a pristine package.  As we glide down its long drive, the enormous Loch Lomond stretches to the left while baronial towers stand proud to the right, and when we step through its grand front doors, golfers hang about the lobby and bespoke tartan pops up everywhere from the staff uniform to headboards. See? Scottish as hell. Spanning 400-acres, the hotel's high-end touches and abundance of facilities might seem intimidating at first. But, in true Scot fashion, as vast and luxurious as it is, Cameron House somehow still feels homely and down to earth. 

Why stay at Cameron House?

The bonny vistas over Scotland’s largest loch and the Trossachs National Park are enough reason to stay at Cameron House on their own. But add to that its grand architecture, its endless grounds, its impeccable dining, its proximity to Glasgow, and a night here becomes near irresistible. And if big names mean anything to you, you may be interested to know that it has earned nods of approval from the likes of Barack Obama, Sir Alex Ferguson, Leonardo Dicaprio, Cameron Diaz and Robbie Williams. 

It has a compelling history, too. The site was originally home to a castle in the 14th century, which was remodelled in the 17th century. Then, for three centuries, it was home to esteemed Scottish family the Smollets (owner and famous novelist Tobias Smollett famously wrote ‘I have seen Lake Garda, Albana, de Visco, Bolsetta and Geneva. Upon my honour I prefer Loch Lomond to them all’). In the 1970s, a troupe of Himalayan, Black and European bears took residence on the grounds during its stint as a bear park, then it finally started life as a luxury hotel in 1986. The hotel you see today comes after several changing of hands and a multi-million pound renovation following a major fire in 2017. 

What are the rooms like at Cameron House?

Rooms in the hotel itself range from 26 square metre doubles to the grand 110 sqm, two-storey Tower Suite. There’s also a cluster of self-catering lodges if you’d prefer a bit more independence. Our room was in the Lomond Wing – the more modern side of the venue completed in 2022 – decked out in subdued tartan upholstery and honey tinted wood furnishings, with a flat-screen TV, coffee machine and robes at your disposal. Most of our time in the room was spent lounging on the large covered balcony, looking out at the loch and watching wedding parties flow out of the ballroom below.

What is the food like at Cameron House? 

If there’s one thing I can guarantee when you visit Cameron House, it’s that you’ll be well-fed. At the Cameron Grill, breakfast has something for absolutely everyone. The hot buffet features a suitably Scottish lineup of Tattie scones, black pudding, haggis and Lorne sausage, with baked beans, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes there to support. Vegans are catered for, with meat-free bacon rashers, sausages and black pudding, and dairy-free croissants and yogurt all available on request. Even when we arrive at the tailend of breakfast service, the mini pastries are still crispy, the eggs are still steaming and silky, and the fruit and cheese plates are still stocked to the gills. Oh, there’s a champagne and DIY bloody mary station, too.

Lunch during our visit was courtesy of The Tavern, the hotel’s more casual eatery. On the surface, its daytime menu looks fairly basic, but its pub-esque dishes are given clever little lifts – like the sticky smoked bacon jam (made with a combination of Coca-Cola and espresso, we’re told) added to the already excellent smash burger, and the honey sesame that accompanies the buttermilk chicken pancakes. Back to the Cameron Grill for dinner, and you’re given a real culinary experience. Our standouts were the springy pan-seared scallops in lobster bisque, the immaculately cooked rack of Ayrshire lamb and the rhubarb ‘raviole’ (a concoction of poached rhubarb rice pudding, hibiscus foam and herb sorbet), which arrived looking like someone had scooped a bubble bath onto a plate, in the best way. Post desert, head upstairs for cocktails or one of 250 different single malts at the Great Scot’s Bar. 

There’s also La Vista, Cameron House's Italian eatery, for pizza, pasta and Italian small plates. And if you’re after ultimate ritz, there’s the hotel’s latest addition, LOMA, by Michelin starred chef Graeme Cheevers serving elegant, largely Japanese-inspired dishes. 

What are the facilities like at Cameron House? 

You’d need to stay here for at least a week to have any hope of trying everything Cameron House has to offer. There’s the plush 29-seat cinema (popcorn kiosk and all) showing new releases, the falconry, the shooting school, the golf club, the leisure club with a gym (spacious and well-equipped with all the Technogym machines you could need), a pool, water slides, steam room and sauna, and the 234-berth marina. 

Among the luxury yachts and boats docked on the marina is the hotel’s own Celtic Warrior, which is available to book for champagne cruises on the loch. More adventurous water activities on offer include kayaking, jet-skiing, paddle boarding and speed boat tours of the Loch (which I highly recommend – from resident wallabies to the area’s geological history, our skipper Connor was an encyclopaedia of knowledge). 

The pool at the Leisure Club is definitely more catered towards families, and not necessarily somewhere I’d recommend going to wind down if you don’t have kids. For that, you’re better off heading to the spa with its rooftop and hydrotherapy pools – but it’s about three miles north of the hotel (there’s an hourly shuttle bus) and an extra £39 on top of your stay.

What’s the service like at Cameron House? 

Faultless. There are hundreds of people working at Cameron House, and we didn’t have a single bad encounter. Everyone was perfectly polished and professional while steering clear of being overly formal or pandering. Dapper concierges in tartan trousers greeted us and attended to our luggage cheerfully, and waiters served us with what felt like genuine enthusiasm, armed with menu recommendations for every preference. The staff down at the marina looked after us brilliantly for our kayaking and speedboat experiences, too. 

What’s the area like around Cameron House? 

The hotel is on the banks of Loch Lomond, so you don’t need me to tell you that the surrounding area is downright stunning. It’s a destination in itself, but should you wish to venture a little further afield, there’s the Sea Life aquarium just around the corner and the West Highland Way right on your doorstep. It’s also worth catching the ferry to Inchmurrin – the largest freshwater island in the British isles – to walk in the footsteps of Mary, Queen of Scots, explore monastery ruins, hop between its beaches and dine at its family-run restaurant. Glasgow’s a short car journey away if you find yourself craving some city buzz. 

Why should you book a stay at Cameron House? 

I’m not sure that a hotel gets more unequivocally, utterly Scottish than this (though I appreciate that it might be a bit too on the nose for some). A gorgeous dark blue loch? Tick. Outstanding Scotch fare? Check. Litres of whiskey? You bet. Dramatic Highland views? Yep. Tartan practically everywhere you look? Sure is. Cameron House has got everything you possibly want or need from a hotel stay and then some. 

DETAILS

Address: Loch Lomond,West Dunbartonshire, G83 8QZ, Scotland 

Price: Rooms starting from £275 a night 

Closest transport: Balloch train station is 1.8 miles away and Glasgow Queen’s Street is  25 miles away. Glasgow Airport is a 17 mile journey from the hotel. 

Book now: Via Booking.com